KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers have tapped another storied WHL franchise for their new General Manager.
Longtime Portland Winterhawk Matt Bardsley gets the job, succeeding Stu MacGregor who was re-assigned last month.
He says there were several factors that drew him to Canada’s Tournament Capital.
“The tradition in Kamloops, the strong alumni… everything I’ve heard about Kamloops. The city, the people. I’ve been able to meet some of the people within the organization, talk to people outside of the people about Kamloops and it’s been all positive.”
Bardsley has worked for the Winterhawks for 19 years, ascending from a scouting position to Assistant General Manager.
“I will be honest: it wasn’t easy to leave Portland. I’d been there for 19 years. But in our business, our job is to develop players but we also have to develop our staff and I thought Portland did a tremendous job of developing staff. I’m proud to say that I’m another people that they were able to develop to move on.”
The 46 year old says he spoke with Blazers Majority Owner Tom Gaglardi, as well as all four alumni minority partners about the position.
“The one thing that really stuck out to me in our conversations is it’s a family atmosphere,” said Bardsley. “It was the same way in Portland; I was always treated like family. I felt right away it was the same thing here in Kamloops.”
One of Bardsley’s first jobs will be to hire a coaching staff.
Head Coach Don Hay retired and Assistant Coach Mike Needham was let go on the same day MacGregor was re-assigned.
